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Chapter
Seventeen
LETTERS FROM
My dearest G,
Greetings
from the land of durian. It's good to be
back to this beautiful place.
Thanks
for the letter of welcome and congratulations you sent me last April. I
received it a few days after I arrived
here in
At
present, I'm still going through a period of adjustment. I still find the heat unbearable. I also have to get used to the life of a professor instead of a student. I am
teaching two classes every week -- Christology on Fridays (
Life
is full of surprises. My sister Cely
called me last week and she told me that she has decided to join your order in
Calbayog. She asked me if I could accompany her to your monastery on July
16. Of course, I wanted to say
"Yes." Unfortunately, I have a
class on July 15 and there is no direct flight from
Please take good care. I would like to ask for your prayer not only for me but for my sister Cely. May she be able to discern her vocation in life and persevere in it.
with all my love,
My dearest G,
I've just recovered from a flu so I now have the chance to write this letter. I was so glad to hear from you again. Your letter came at the time when I most needed it. The night before I had difficulty going to sleep -- I was feeling so alone, I longed for someone to be at my side. God seemed so far away. I thought about you but you also seemed so far away. I was wondering if you still remember me in your prayers. Your letter is a source of comfort. Knowing that I am dear to your heart and that you continue to pray for me will help me get through this loneliness and depression.
It
was also a source of joy to receive a letter from my sister Cely written from
Calbayog for the first time. I never dreamed
or expected that one day she will be
writing me from your monastery instead
of from the
My
book "Basic Ecclesial Communities in the
I
have a two-month break from classes (September and October). I thought I can fully relax but there is so much to
do. I
have to prepare my class syllabus and lesson plan for the classes that
will begin the first week of November.
Tomorrow, I will give a four-day seminar on PCP II Ecclesiology to the
novices of the Missionaries of the Assumption.
So this week is gone. Two weeks
from now I will be giving a seminar in
Dumaguete (September 26-29).
After that I will go on a retreat
at the Trappist Monastery in
So I am looking forward to seeing you and Cely. Please take care. You are constantly remembered in my prayers.
My dearest G,
Birthday Greetings! I hope this letter reaches you on time.
When I arrived here ten days ago the beautiful birthday card you and Cely sent was already waiting for me. That was, indeed, a "bonus" -- after seeing you face to face a few days before.
I
thank the Lord and
I am very thankful to you also for what you are doing for my sister. I know that it is very difficult to deal with her. She is a person who has gone through a lot of hurts and pain and who needs inner healing. As I told you, I am not praying for her perseverance (I will only do that if she is professed). I am praying that she will discover what her true vocation in life is and that she will experience healing. If she really wants to be a Poor Clare, I want to be sure that she is doing it because she wants to dedicate her whole life to God and not because she is scared of men or she is afraid of marriage. As her formator, you will later on make the decision whether to recommend her for the novitiate and for profession. When the time comes please don't let our friendship influence your decision. As you well put it: she is not my extension.
I
am enclosing some photocopied excerpts from Thomas Moore's book, Soul Mates: Honoring the Mysteries of Love
and Relationship. I like the book very much. In the
introduction
Happy Birthday!
p.s.
On the
My dearest G,
The Christmas songs fill the air as the Misa de Gallo begins. This reminds me of you since it was around this time three years ago that I first received a letter from you. It was the best Christmas gift that I ever received - the gift of friendship. I believe it was an answer to my prayer. This is what makes this season personally special for me - because you are so special to me.
How is everything in Calbayog? How is my sister Cely? I hope she is adjusting well to the monastic life.
I've been very busy here as usual since the beginning of the second semester. Thank God we are about to start our Christmas break. I will be starting a journey on a bicycle next week.
Last month, I bought a mountain bike. I've been training daily, biking up and down
the hills overlooking
Please extend my warm Christmas Greetings to the community.
Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
With all my love,
My dearest G,
Happy Easter! May the joy of the risen Lord fill your heart. How is my dearest friend? I hope you are in the best of health and you're no longer worried about your mother.
I am still trying to get back to my regular diet after fasting for one week. I was able to survive by drinking a delicious juice made from mango, carrots and tomatoes. I lost 8 pounds so I don't look like someone who is five months pregnant anymore.
It
has been a very busy week. I gave a
couple of recollections, heard confessions and presided over the liturgical
celebrations. I've also been doing a lot
of practice climbing up the hill at the back of our monastery. I will be climbing
Our classes ended last month and I've been trying to get some rest. I'm trying to recover from a recurring disease called boredom and depression. It usually hits me when I am no longer busy preparing for classes or beating deadlines.
I
would like to ask for your prayers for the general assembly of the
Redemptorists in Visayas and
After
the assembly, I will be taking my vacation --
one week in Iligan and two weeks in the
I'm looking forward to my visit to Calbayog. I was hoping I could see you this summer but Cely informed me that I can visit her only this July during her investiture. So I'll have to wait for another four months. It is indeed a great source of joy and happiness for me to meet you face to face.
Take care and God bless,
My dearest G,
Happy Pentecost! May the Holy Spirit continue to enkindle in your heart the fire of her love.
When I returned from my summer escapade, the first thing that I checked was my mailbox. I had been longing and praying to hear from you. I was overjoyed when I saw the package from you and Cely. Thank you very much for not forgetting me, for your prayers and for the "Prayer of St. Francis" (it now hangs on the wall near my bed).
The
encounter with your Franciscan brothers went very well. They had invited Archbishop Orlando Quevedo
to give the keynote address to their Pastoral Conference. A week before the conference, Quevedo told them that he could not make it
due to his sickness. So the
organizer called me and asked if I could give the keynote address
on the theme "The Church of the
Poor." Apparently some Franciscans had read my book and recommended me to
take Quevedo's place. I was also asked
to bring copies of my book. So I took the plane on a Monday night, gave
my address on a Tuesday morning and then took the flight back to
This
summer, I was away for five weeks. After
our General Assembly in
After
my vacation in Iligan I spent ten days of solitude, prayer and silence in Busay. This is my sacred space. The last time I was in Busay was in 1989
before I left for the
During
the third week of May I attended a seminar for formators at the Holy Family
Retreat House. It was entitled
"Formation Process and Vocation Discernment." This is a seminar
offered for those who have previously done the FIS (Formators'
I am glad to hear that your mother is alright now. With regard to the special intention that you are intensely praying for, I was hoping at first that God will not grant it because it would mean losing the opportunity to see you. But if going “abroad” -- to Siquijor -- is what you desire most, if it will really make you happy, then I will pray that your intention will be granted. However, you have to be prepared to accept whatever decision your community makes. As you well know, in religious life, not everything you want or desire will be granted. Sometimes the community or your superiors will think that you are more needed where you are now (as a formator, for example) rather than elsewhere. This is the same that happened to me. What I desired most was to spend the rest of my priestly life giving mission in the remote barrios and helping build Basic Ecclesial Communities. I was also dreaming of spending my sabbatical year in my hermitage in Busay. Instead I was sent for further studies and then assigned to work in formation. I was told that this was where I was most needed. And all I can say is: not my will but God's will be done. Of course, there is a tendency to think that our will or desire is also God's will. Sometimes they coincide. At other times they don't. So let's hope that what you are intensely praying for is really God's will. At the same time prepare yourself for the possibility that it might not be God's will. We are not really in full control of our life, our future or our destiny. There are tasks or roles that you don't want to do but which you are asked to do (such as being novice-mistress, or perhaps, even exercising leadership in the future). Since much has been given to you, much will be asked of you. That is the price for being gifted.
How is my sister Cely? She invited me to attend her investiture this July. I would like to know when it will be.
Please don't apologize for not answering or acknowledging immediately my letters. As I told you before, I respect your silence and you do not have any obligation to write to me. You once told me that as a rule you do not maintain regular correspondence with anyone and that I am the only exception. For this I am very grateful and I consider every letter from you as a gift and a reminder that I continue to occupy a special space in your heart and in your prayers. I've been wondering why I always think of you every day. It's probably the effect of prayerfully keeping me in your heart and in your daily communion. Now I find myself being drawn to pray in the middle of the night knowing there is someone who prays for me. And although she is far away, I feel so close to her -- and I pray for her and with her.
Please take care, always remember that God loves you -- and so do I. Hope to see you soon.
Dearest G,
I
hope that by now you are finally settled and fully adjusted to your new home
amidst the vampira, mananangal and wak-wak of
I
was very glad to see you in Calbayog. Cely had told me when I arrived that I
might not have the opportunity to talk with you since you were no longer her
novice-mistress. She said you might just
drop in to say hello during our encounter with the community that night. When
you didn't turn up I felt very sad.
Thinking I might not have the chance to see you I told Cely to give you the gift I brought from
I was in Iligan last week giving a seminar to our lay missioners who are undergoing training at the Alphonsian Lay Formation Institute. I had a very tight schedule and the only time I could visit home was in the evening. I met Nonie and her kids. We talked about Cely and about our last visit in Calbayog. We were also talking about you and your new responsibility as fund raiser for your community. We remembered you telling us that you don't even have a typewriter to write your solicitation letter. It so happens that Nonie has a computer and two typewriters. She would be willing to give you one of the typewriters since she is no longer using them.
I
will be in
On September 27, we will officially become an independent province. Fr. Pat Reynolds will be coming to attend the inauguration and our provincial chapter. Please pray for us, Redemptorists, as we make this big step.
Love and prayers,
My dearest G,
Happy Birthday! I join you in thanking God for the gift of life and all the blessings He has showered you. How young are you now? Thirty five or thirty six? Congratulations, you are about to enter a very exciting period of your life -- the midlife. Don't be afraid. Even if you will experience some turbulence and confusion, it is also an opportunity for growth. They say that nuns are particularly vulnerable during midlife -- so you'd better watch out (or is it we who should watch out for you?)
Speaking
of midlife, we have just finished our midlife retreat in
Fr. Calpotura spoke about the different crises that one encounters in midlife:
(1) crisis of bodily changes, (2) crisis of affectivity,(3) crisis of unfinished business, (4) death-awareness, (5) crisis of faith, (6) crisis of ministry and (7) crisis of sexuality and intimacy
Some of these crises I have already experienced. I still have to face the others. I hope I don't have to go through the crisis of sexuality and intimacy -- I know how vulnerable I am.
You came to my life at a time when I was just entering my midlife. You have been a source of consolation and inspiration for me. Our retreat director told us that we need a friend who can accompany us through our midlife journey. I believe that you are the friend that God has sent me for this inner journey. For this I thank you and I thank God for being there at the time that I most need you. I hope that, I too, can be your companion in your own midlife journey.
I
wish I can be there to celebrate with you the gift of life. Since that is not possible, I will unite myself to you in prayer during the
My dearest G,
Season's
Greetings from the
How are things with you? Are the insects still infatuated with your beautiful skin? Can't blame them for wanting to bite you. You need to develop a thicker skin not only against the insects but to help you in your work as fund-raiser or "official beggar" for your community. I hope you have encountered a lot of generous benefactors. I wish I can win in the Lotto so that I can share with you the prize. The problem is that I don't buy lotto tickets.
Your friend here is still very much alive and kicking. So many things have happened since we last met. The retreat I gave to the Redemptoristines in Legazpi turned out well. It was the first time that I gave a retreat to contemplative nuns -- and for ten days! I was lucky to survive the ordeal. The theme of the retreat was "The Consecrated Life as a Sign of Communion." It is based on Pope John Paul II's apostolic exhortation on the consecrated life "Vita Consecrata." I emphasized to the sisters that their primary call is not to a life of perfection but rather to a life of loving communion with God and with one another. The sessions that appealed much to the sisters was on "Friendship within the community" and "Communion with the Significant Others"
Last week, the list of the superiors and members of the various Redemptorist communities was released. I have been appointed as the new superior of the Davao Redemptorist community in addition to being a member of the Extraordinary Provincial Council and also a formator. As superior, I am supposed to be the spiritual pastor and coordinator of a community made up of Irish and Filipino confreres most of whom are older than me. It’s really no big deal. I still have to learn how to be a good superior. Please pray for me that I may be able to discharge my various responsibilities faithfully and effectively.
Please extend my warm greetings to Sr. Clare and the other members of your community. I hope I can visit your beautiful island someday and stay for a longer period.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Dearest G,
I am just recovering from a motorcycle accident. Last Sunday, as I was going up the fly-over, the tires hit an oil slick. I skidded and crashed . Fortunately, I was wearing a helmet so the injury wasn't very serious. No broken bones. Just a slight dislocation of the shoulder that was immediately put back in place. The bruises haven't healed yet. I still have difficulty using my right leg and my right arm and shoulder. But that doesn't prevent me from writing this letter to you.
So you were able to leave the monastery and go on a junket. I am glad you visited Nonie. I hope you were able to solicit for the monastery construction besides the plants. I'm sorry to hear that the construction stopped because of lack of funds. I pray and hope there will be a lot of generous people who will come to your aid soon.
Congratulations for the canonical erection of your monastery. Does this mean that you won't be able to go on a junket anymore? So who was elected as the new Abbess? I hope it was not you. I know how distressed you would be if you were elected.
Holy
Week is just around the corner and I have a lot of work to do.
Besides the liturgical activities,
I will be conducting some recollections and a retreat.
After Easter, I will lead a mountain climbing expedition to
So all the best. Happy Easteer to you and your sisters.
Dearest G,
Belated feast day! I was actually thinking about you during the feast of St. Clare last week and I planned to write you but as usual I was swamped with so many pressing matters that I had to attend to.
I
wonder if Cely was around during the novena and the feast day. The last time I talked to her on the phone
she told me that she was going to Siquijor.
I had been waiting for her to return to
Thanks a lot for allowing me to spend a few days in your monastery. It was very relaxing and energizing. It was, indeed, a break from the various demands of the apostolic and academic life. My only regret was I did not have much time to talk to you and the sisters. Anyway, just seeing you and conversing with you briefly was enough. Besides the atmosphere of prayer and silence, it was being with you that was so energizing.
My life is here is so hectic. I spend most of my time preparing for class, teaching, celebrating mass in the church and the barrios, giving seminars to our leaders, officiating at weddings, attending parish staff meetings, etc. Lately, I have been asked to give workshops on the Enneagram. As the superior of the community, I also have to make sure that we hold our regular community meetings, recollections, recreation, etc. The months ahead will even be more hectic. I have BEC talks and seminars in Lipa, Cagayan de Oro, Naval and Pagadian. I also have to attend meetings of the community secretariat, finance secretariat and the Extra-ordinary Provincial Council. With all these activities I am so drained that I have little energy left for prayer and meditation. There are so many things that remain unfinished: my autobiography, the volume of poems, the songs that I have been trying to compose, the seminar modules, the book on basic Christian teachings, etc. I have very little time for jogging and cycling. So I am now terribly out of shape and overweight. Why did I have to accept these responsibilites? I hope I won't burn out. All I want to do now is to drop everything and live as a hermit in the mountain of Busay. I will probably be allowed to do that in the year 2005!
I have to sign off now. There are so many things I have to do. Please continue to remember me in your prayers. My warmest regards to your community.
October 22, 1997
My dearest G,
Thank you so much for remembering me on my 43rd birthday. Thank you also reminding me of the need to pray. I think I should make you my spiritual director.
I spent my birthday with my middle-age confreres at the beautiful Samal Island. We actually had our annual gathering of the Redemptorist mid-lifers. In the evening of my birthday I flew to Manila to attend the National Consultation on Basic Ecclesial Communities (BECs) which was held in Tagaytay at the St. Scholastica' Center of Spirituality. This was organized by the NASSA (National Secretariat for Social Action). I was invited as a resource person and I also gave the keynote address. It was attended by the directors or representatives of the various programs and institutions involved in building BECs all over the Philippines.
I have just learned that three of our young priests are going on leave of absence. They will probably leave the congregation after a year. This is, indeed, a devastating news for many of us. This is not the first time that our priests have fallen in love with their lay co-workers. We are trying to find where the source of the problem is. Is it in our formation program? Or is it the program of working with lay missionaries (many of whom are attractive women)? We do not have clear cut answers. I know that with our present set up, it is easy to fall in love with attractive women that we are working with in the mission. That's why when I was still working with the mission, I jokingly suggested the policy that we should not accept pretty women as lay missionaries. Of course, I got a lot of negative reaction.
What happened to my young confreres could also have happened to me. I was just fortunate that during my most vulnerable moments, there was no one who was really interested in me and I was used to maintaining a safe distance especially from women whom I found very attractive. I was also constantly conscious of the commitment I had made and my desire to live and die as a Redemptorist. The more I was attracted to women, the more I tried to avoid becoming close to them even if that was what I longed for. You know when I was just a young priest in Tacloban, I wanted to become close to you. But I was afraid I would fall in love so I tried to keep distance. I think it was the appropriate thing to do at that time. That has been the pattern of my relationships ever since. There are boundaries that I will not cross.
I will be leaving this Saturday for Naval to give a BEC seminar to the priests, religious
and lay leaders of the diocese. From there I will proceed to Pagadian to give a talk on BECs to the bishops and clergy of the DOPIM (Dipology, Ozamiz, Pagadian, Iligan and Marawi) sub-region. I will be back in Davao by November 6 -- just in time for the start of the second semester.
Happy Birthday! I will be one with you in my prayers and mass during your birthday.
December 17, 1997
My dearest G,
Christmas Greetings!
I hope everything is well with you and the community. I presume that the construction of your monastery is finished by now.
So how did the birthday celebration last month go? Turning 36 is not really that bad, you are as old as you feel. Anyway you look ten years younger and your beauty has not faded. If you keep on smiling, you won't have any wrinkles in your face. But be careful, you are entering a vulnerable period of your life -- the midlife. An older confrere used to warn us: "Be careful of nuns in their midlife -- they are vulnerable and they can easily fall in love. You should not play with their emotions." I don't know if he was speaking from experience or if it was just his prejudice. But I followed his advice and avoided deep friendship with nuns. You are the only exception.
The BEC Seminar for the diocese of Naval went very well. Bishop Bactol and all his priests attended the seminar including some lay leaders coming from all the parishes. From Naval I proceed to Pagadian to give a talk on BECs to the 22nd DOPIM bishops-clergy annual convention. It was attended by four bishops and over a hundred priests coming from five dioceses. One of the resource persons, Msgr. Desmond Hartford, failed to deliver his address because he was kidnapped by Muslim rebel-returnees a week before.
I was in Cebu during the last week of November for our Extraordinary Provincial Council meeting. After the Council meeting, I proceeded to Cagayan de Oro to give a six-day seminar to the BEC workers of the archdiocese. There were actually two batches. Seventy-five attended the first batch and 60 came for the second batch. After the seminar, I came home to Davao feeling exhausted.
Christmas is just around the corner. I will be spending Christmas here in Davao. After Christmas I will proceed to Iligan for a week's holiday and to greet the New Year 1998.
Please extend my warm Christmas greetings to the Mother Abbess and the members of your community. I miss the restful and contemplative atmosphere of your monastery -- and most of all, you. I hope I can see visit you again some time in May.
March 17, 1998
My dearest G,
I was in Borongan during the last week of February giving a seminar on BECs to the clergy, religious and lay leaders from all the parishes of the diocese. Around two hundred people attended the seminar. Bishop Medroso had invited me earlier to give the seminar a few days before the official promulgation of the decrees of the diocesan synod. The bishop and the people were surprised that I could speak to them in mixed Waray and English. I, too, was surprised because I thought that I had forgotten the language I learned 17 years ago. There was an enthusiastic response from the participants. The synod had adopted the formation of BECs as the pastoral thrust and program of the whole diocese and of each parish. This was the fourth BEC seminar I had given since the beginning of this year. On the second week of January I gave a BEC seminar to the new Redemptorist Lay Missioners and Parish Workers. Two weeks later, I gave a BEC seminar to the formands of several religious congregations of sisters in Mindanao. Then during the first week of February, I gave a talk on BECs to the clergy, religious and lay leaders of the diocese of Malaybalay, Bukidnon. After I got back from Samar and the secretariat meetings in Cebu, I caught the flu and spent the whole week recovering. This was probably a message from my Brother Body to take it easy and slow down. I'm getting tired travelling around and giving seminars.
Cely wrote me recently. She said that she was hospitalized last February. After her recovery, she went to Josefina to visit the Poor Clares. She is going back there this April and spend a longer time living with them and observing them. She is also going to spend her Holy Week with the Carmelites in Cagayan de Oro. I told her not to make any instant decision and spend more time discerning where God really wants her to go.
Before Holy Week, I will be climbing Mt. Apo with some seminarians. We will make this climb a contemplative wilderness experience. As we make our ascent, we will be reflecting on some biblical themes and we will have some sharing and celebration of the Eucharist by the campfire each night. The mountain is considered a sacred space -- a place where we can feel the presence of God. Thus, in the bible we hear about Moses conversing with God on top of the mountain. Jesus often went up the mountain to pray. Of course, our very own St. Francis spent much time in the mountains of La Verna to pray. Thus, mountain climbing is not just a physical activity -- it is also a contemplative activity.
My sister Nonie, her husband Dodong and their children (John-john, Jing-jing and Mic-mic) will be spending their Holy Week here in Davao. We have just finished renovating our guest rooms so they will be staying in our monastery. I will be bringing them to our beach house in Samal Island and stay there overnight. Nonie and the kids are excited about the idea of joining our Good Friday way of the cross which is longer that the original route that Jesus walked in Jerusalem. Our way of the cross begins at three o'clock in the morning and finishes five hours later. It is actually a ten kilometer route around our parish. Last year, over 5,000 people joined the way of the cross.
I will be going to Iloilo during the Easter week to facilitate the gathering of young Redemptorists. I will take two-weeks off after that. I am thinking of visiting the enchanted island of Siquijor from April 22-25. I would be glad to conduct several study sessions with your sisters while I am there. If you won't be around during that time, please inform me beforehand so that I can postpone my visit. It is you that I really want to see and not the island.
So I wish an advanced Easter Greetings! Please extend my warm regards to the mother Abbess and the sisters.
With all my love,
June 21, 1998
My dearest G,
Greetings! I've been planning to write you since I arrived but as usual I couldn't find the time. I have to cope with all the work in the parish, the church, the seminary and the university. After the refreshing vacation in Siquijor, I find myself once again exhausted with all these responsibilities. I am teaching four courses this semester, I have to fulfill my responsibility as superior of this community, I am doing some parish work (celebrating barrio masses, animating the parish staff, giving seminars to our BEC leaders, solemnizing a lot of weddings) and I will be acting parish priest starting this July. I am helping edit case studies on BECs in the Philippines. I have to finish writing four books. I have to attend so many meetings as a member of the Extraordinary Provincial Council, three secretariats and one commission in the province. I have also been elected as a member of the presbyteral council in the archdiocese so, I have to attend regular meetings with the archbishop. I don't know how much longer can I keep on going without burning out. The only thing that keeps me going is prayer. At least now I find more time in prayer -- and it is during my times of prayer that I feel most relaxed and well rested. Prayer is becoming a necessity for me. I don't even say anything much during prayer. I just make myself still, fully relax, fully aware of the presence of Christ. I also remember you during the time of prayer. So I don't really feel alone as I pray in the middle of the night and during siesta time. It is in prayer that I feel so close to Jesus -- and to you.
I would like to thank you for that wonderful time I had with you and your community. I think it was a good idea having the mornings to myself (for jogging, swimming, boating) and the afternoons for sharing with the community. I just felt so relaxed and well rested during that week. The time with you and the community was very energizing. There are some scenes that have become part of the beautiful memory that I will always treasure and replay in mind:
dinner by candlelight with you and your
community (due to the brownout)
celebrating my anniversary of ordination
celebrating our communion and friendship
laughing at the funny stories of the sisters
being able to talk with you without the
grills between us
sharing with you my fears and anxieties
listening to your words of wisdom and comfort
praying over you, holding your hand, your
ear and your head
trying to heal you with my touch and love
these are the moments that I wished would
never end (that would be heaven)
I will be leaving next month for Korea. The Redemptorist General Government has requested our province to take responsibility for the Korean mission. As a member of the Foreign Mission Commission, I was asked to visit Korea and get first hand information of the situation so that we can make a decision during our Provincial Chapter next year.
Please pray for my sister, Cely. She was hospitalized last week after visiting the Poor Clare monastery in Josefina. She was having this chronic pain in the stomach which could be ulcer. She has so many ailments that I wonder if she would make it as a Poor Clare.
My warmest regards and greetings to Mother Abbess and the community, God Bless!
Iligan City, October 24, 1998
My dearest G,
Greetings from the land of my birth. Actually, I'm just passing through. I was in Dipolog from October 19-22 for the 10th Mindanao-Sulu Pastoral Conference. This is the tri-annual gathering of the 21 dioceses in Mindanao. There were 340 delegates who attended -- bishops, priests, religious brothers & sisters, and lay leaders. The theme was "The TMA (Tertio Millenio Anno) call to Holiness: Mindanao BECs towards Peace and Integral Development." There were three speakers: Archbishop Fernando Capalla (The TMA call to Holiness), Bishop Antonio Ledesma (Peace and Development) and yours truly (BECs). Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblo of Butuan diocese was assigned as the reactor to my talk. I felt it a great honor and privilege to be invited to address such an assembly. The conference adopted the vision and many of my recommendations regarding the BECs in Mindanao. I got to know personally most of the bishops of Mindanao and some have already invited me to give talks to their priests. I hope I will continue to be of service to the local churches of Mindanao as a theologian.
Immediately after the conference I proceeded to Josefina. The monastery is about two kilometers away from the town and nestling at the foot of Mt. Malindang. Cely was very excited to see me. She appeared to be at home there. She looked happy and healthy. Her various ailments seem to be gone. She has been assigned as one of the "dog-catchers" (every evening the nine dogs are released to patrol the grounds and in the morning Cely and two other sisters have to catch them and put them on leash). I met the 15 other sisters in the sacristy right after the mass. The Franciscan chaplain (Fr. Bertram) became wide-eyed when he saw the sisters kissing me (actually they just buzzed my cheek). They were so warm and welcoming and we talked for 45 minutes until they realized that they were already late for breakfast. They wanted me to stay another day and give them a talk but I was in a hurry to visit home.
I'm staying here in Iligan for a couple of days. Tomorrow, I leave for Cebu. I'll be spending ten days in Busay for rest, prayer and study. Actually, this is unscheduled but I felt I have to take time off -- I feel exhausted. Last month, I was afflicted by sore eyes and this was followed by a painful gout on my knee. When I went to the hospital for treatment and check-up, my doctor told me that I have a defective liver, high blood sugar (which could lead to diabetes), high cholesterol, and hypertension. She said that this may be the result of stress, obesity and lack of exercise. Well, I've had a very hectic and stressful schedule these last few months. So I need to get some rest, go on diet and lose some weight. Time to go to my sacred space in Busay. I hope I can be revitalized after ten days. After that I will be attending three meetings: Apostolic Secretariat, Community Secretariat and Extraordinary Provincial Council. Then I will give a retreat to the priests of Tandag. I go back to Davao on November 22 and teach three courses for the second semester. Whew!
Thanks a lot for remembering me on my birthday. Of course, I haven't forgotten yours. So advance happy birthday, my friend. I